The family of convicted Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is facing ongoing harassment, with the latest incident involving two masked individuals pounding on the door of the Massapequa Park home where his ex-wife and children were present. The episode occurred just over a month after Heuermann was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of eight women between 1993 and 2010.
According to Robert Macedonio, the family's attorney, Heuermann's ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and her two adult children, Victoria and Christopher, were inside the home Tuesday evening when two people wearing black masks, T-shirts, and shorts ran onto the porch and banged on the door. The family dog began barking, and the individuals fled shortly afterward. A video captured by a security camera shows the masked duo running off the porch.
Macedonio told Newsday that a police report was filed, and Ellerup initially believed it was an attempted break-in. However, a Nassau County police spokesman confirmed the incident occurred around 8 p.m. but said it did not meet the criteria for an attempted break-in because no one tried to enter the home. The spokesman did not provide further details on the investigation.
The harassment, Macedonio said, has been relentless. He described a pattern of people driving by the home, shouting insults, taking photographs, and leaving objects on the doorstep. «This is the constant harassment that she faces on a daily basis, with people driving by, saying stuff as they walk by,» Macedonio said of Ellerup. «They leave stuff on the door or throw stuff. They make comments when they drive by; pointing, taking pictures on a regular basis.»
The incident comes about five weeks after Heuermann, a 61-year-old architect, was sentenced in June to three consecutive life sentences without parole, followed by four consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. He had pleaded guilty to murdering eight women whose remains were found along a stretch of beach on Long Island's South Shore. At the sentencing hearing, Heuermann made a brief statement, saying, «I’m responsible. The words I would say have no meaning.»
The case, often referred to as the Gilgo Beach murders, has drawn widespread attention since authorities first began searching for the killer in 2010. Heuermann was arrested in 2023 after a lengthy investigation that used DNA evidence, cellphone records, and witness testimony to link him to the crimes. His conviction and sentencing in June brought a measure of closure to the victims' families but also fueled public anger and curiosity about the killer's family.
Ellerup and her children have remained in the Massapequa Park home, which became a focal point of media coverage and public scrutiny during the investigation. Despite the ongoing harassment, the family has not moved. Macedonio said the constant intrusion into their lives has been devastating. «They are victims in this as well,» he told reporters. «They did nothing wrong, yet they are being treated as if they are part of the crime.»
The attorney urged the public to respect the family's privacy and allow them to live their lives without fear. He also called for law enforcement to take the harassment more seriously, noting that the repeated incidents have created an atmosphere of intimidation. «This is not just a one-time thing,» he said. «It’s a pattern. And it needs to stop.»
Nassau County police did not say whether they have identified the two individuals from Tuesday's incident or if any charges are expected. The family continues to cooperate with authorities as the investigation remains open.
